The USDA recommends
cooking turkey to a minimum of 165°F to ensure
safety.

Higher temperatures may be used to
achieve the texture and degree of doneness that
consumer prefer.

For optimum safety
and uniform doneness, the USDA recommends that
stuffing cooked outside of the bird.
However, if cooking a stuffed turkey, stuff
loosely, cook the turkey immediately after
stuffing and be sure the center of the
stuffing reaches 165°F.

Safely cooked turkey may have a
pink hue due to the hemoglobin in tissues which
can form a heat-stable color.

Some USDA-inspected frozen stuffed
whole turkey MUST be cooked from the frozen
state to ensure a safely cooked product. Follow
cooking instructions on the
label.

When cooking ground turkey like a
turkey burger, be sure to cook it to
165°F
and check that temperature with an instant-read
thermometer inserted in the
middle.

Cooked turkey and turkey dishes can
be stored in the refrigerator for three to four
days and frozen for up to six months.

Note: Pregnant
women, children, elderly and immuno-compromised
individuals can be at an increased risk of
developing foodborne illnesses that can have
dire consequences. Additional care should be
taken for safe
handling.

The materials contained in this Web Site are
not intended as safety advice to any party but
as guidelines. the contents displayed and
linked to in no way represent advice by the
American Meat Institute. Please consult the
safe handling directions and labeling on meat
and poultry products for assurances. For more
information, please contact FSIS for details.